U.S. patent application number 15/613468 was filed with the patent office on 2018-07-26 for warning signal controlling device for blind zones when vehicles making a lane change.
This patent application is currently assigned to JIANGSU HAIHUA AUTO PARTS CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is JIANGSU HAIHUA AUTO PARTS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to JUNHUA HE, Yuncai HE, Yuxiang WU, Yuan ZHONG.
Application Number | 20180208108 15/613468 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58841761 |
Filed Date | 2018-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180208108 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HE; Yuncai ; et al. |
July 26, 2018 |
WARNING SIGNAL CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR BLIND ZONES WHEN VEHICLES
MAKING A LANE CHANGE
Abstract
A warning signal controlling device for blind zones when
vehicles making a lane change is provided. The device is disposed
inside each inner side of each rearview mirror of the vehicle, and
comprises a lens masked by PMMA which is black and opaque, a mirror
utilizing a light guide made of PMMA which is transparent, and a
base assembly consisting of LED lamps, a PCB board and a base. The
lens and the mirror are obtained by two-color molding, the PCB
board is secured to the base, LED lamp holders are provided on the
PCB board, the LED lamps are secured in the corresponding LED lamp
holders and the base assembly is secured to the lens by ultrasonic
welding.
Inventors: |
HE; Yuncai; (Danyang City,
CN) ; WU; Yuxiang; (Danyang City, CN) ; ZHONG;
Yuan; (Danyang City, CN) ; HE; JUNHUA;
(Danyang City, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JIANGSU HAIHUA AUTO PARTS CO., LTD. |
Danyang City |
|
CN |
|
|
Assignee: |
JIANGSU HAIHUA AUTO PARTS CO.,
LTD.
Danyang City
CN
|
Family ID: |
58841761 |
Appl. No.: |
15/613468 |
Filed: |
June 5, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Q 9/008 20130101;
B60R 1/081 20130101; B60R 1/08 20130101; G08G 1/166 20130101; G08G
1/167 20130101; B60Q 5/006 20130101; B60R 2001/1215 20130101; B60Q
1/2665 20130101; B60R 1/06 20130101; G08G 1/162 20130101; B60Q
1/525 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60Q 1/52 20060101
B60Q001/52; B60Q 9/00 20060101 B60Q009/00; B60Q 5/00 20060101
B60Q005/00; G08G 1/16 20060101 G08G001/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 22, 2017 |
CN |
201710045418.8 |
Claims
1. A warning signal controlling device for blind zones when
vehicles making a lane change, disposed inside each inner side of
each rearview mirror of the vehicle, comprising: a lens masked by
PMMA which is black and opaque, a mirror utilizing a light guide
made of PMMA which is transparent, and a base assembly, consisting
of LED lamps, a PCB board and a base; wherein, the lens and the
mirror are obtained by two-color molding, the PCB board is secured
to the base, LED lamp holders are provided on the PCB board, the
LED lamps are secured in the corresponding LED lamp holders and the
base assembly is secured to the lens by ultrasonic welding.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein a cavity or a light guide bar is
provided inside the lens, and the LED lamps are placed in the
cavity or at a light entrance of the light guide bar.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of LED lamp holders
are provided on the PCB board, and a control circuit is disposed
inside the PCB board, wherein one end of the control circuit is
connected to a circuit of the Body Controller Module (BCM) of the
vehicle, and the other end is connected to the control circuit
inside the PCB board.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the number of the LED lamps is 2
to 6 and these LED lamps are configured to provide different alarm
signals in the form of a flash, light staying for a short period,
and light staying for a long period.
5. The device of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is provided
with day and night modes.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein different display patterns are
provided on a housing of the alarm signal controlling device.
7. The device of claim 5, wherein a controller inside the PCB board
emits yellow light in a wavelength range of 586 nm to 592 nm, and
according to lightness of surrounding environment and different
positions of the primary driver and the secondary driver, four
different reflection regions are provided at different positions
for the day and night modes, wherein information about these four
reflection regions is listed in tables below, information about a
first reflection region at the position of the primary driver for
the day mode: TABLE-US-00009 Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2)
Object Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 60 to 85
degrees 7.5 degrees 4500-9000 primary driver
information about a second reflection region at the position of the
secondary driver for the day mode: TABLE-US-00010 Luminance Angle
Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of
the 32.5 to 70 degrees 7.5 degrees 4500-9000 secondary driver
information about a third reflection region at the position of the
primary driver for the night mode: TABLE-US-00011 Luminance Angle
Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of
the 60 to 85 degrees 7.5 degrees 45-90 primary driver
information about a fourth reflection region at the position of the
secondary driver for the night mode: TABLE-US-00012 Luminance Angle
Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of
the 32.5 to 70 degrees 7.5 degrees 225-450 secondary driver
wherein, the primary driver and the secondary driver can clearly
view the light emitted by the controller from different directions,
and the circuit of the BCM of the vehicle can provide a voltage of
13.5.+-.0.1 V and a current of 46.+-.6 mA and continuously supplies
stable energy to the LED lamps through the controller, and the
light is then emitted through the mirror and the lens.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese application
number 201710045418.8, filed on Jan. 22, 2017, with a title of
WARNING SIGNAL CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR BLIND ZONES WHEN VEHICLES
MAKING A LANE CHANGE. The above-mentioned patent application is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of
vehicle-mounted devices, in particular to a warning signal
controlling device for blind zones when vehicles are in a lane
change.
BACKGROUND
[0003] With continuous expansion of the vehicle market, there are
more and more vehicle users. Therefore, pressure on traffic is
further intensifying, and traffic safety concerns have received
increasing attention. For example, when changing lane while
driving, the driver must be very careful, because a traditional way
of determining whether another vehicle is present behind the
vehicle in a lane change mainly relies on rearview mirrors of the
vehicle, however some zones, i.e., blind zones, cannot be seen
through the rearview mirrors due to the limited field of view of
the rearview mirrors. Therefore, in the case of presence of a
vehicle in the blind zones, it is very common for a collision
between the vehicle in a lane change and the vehicle in the blind
zones.
[0004] The conventional exterior rearview mirrors have drawbacks of
small field of view and large blind zones. Many traffic accidents
occur due to a blind zone in the rear side region of the vehicle
when overtaking or changing lane. To this end, many techniques of
the prior art utilize an optical principle to decrease the radius
of curvature of the rearview mirror so as to provide an increased
field of view. However, this may bring about distortion of images
in the rearview mirrors, which may cause wrong judgment of the
drivers and thus lead to dangerous situations. Some other designs
for eliminating blind zones also have a poor effect on completely
eliminating the blind zone in the rear side region of the vehicle.
Some techniques of the prior art involve installation of a camera
on the exterior of the vehicle and a display device inside the
vehicle. However, in this case, the drivers have to observe the
rearview mirrors and the display device at the same time, and are
thus distracted, and dangerous situations may thus be caused.
SUMMARY
[0005] In order to solve the above-described conventional technical
problem, the present invention provides a warning signal
controlling device for blind zones when vehicles making a lane
change, which is simple and easy to handle, and can improve the
security and reliability of driving.
[0006] A warning signal controlling device for blind zones when
vehicles making a lane change according to the invention, disposed
inside each inner side of each rearview mirror of the vehicle,
comprising a lens masked by PMMA which is black and opaque, a
mirror utilizing a light guide made of PMMA which is transparent,
and a base assembly, consisting of LED lamps, a PCB board and a
base. The lens and the mirror are obtained by two-color molding,
the PCB board is secured to the base, LED lamp holders are provided
on the PCB board, the LED lamps are secured in the corresponding
LED lamp holders and the base assembly is secured to the lens by
ultrasonic welding.
[0007] Preferably, a cavity or a light guide bar is provided inside
the lens, and the LED lamps are placed in the cavity or at a light
entrance of the light guide bar.
[0008] Preferably, a plurality of LED lamp holders are provided on
the PCB board, and a control circuit is disposed inside the PCB
board, wherein one end of the control circuit is connected to a
circuit of the Body Controller Module (BCM) of the vehicle, and the
other end is connected to the control circuit inside the PCB
board.
[0009] Preferably, the number of the LED lamps is 2 to 6 and these
LED lamps are configured to provide different alarm signals in the
form of a flash, light staying for a short period, and light
staying for a long period.
[0010] Preferably, the control circuit is provided with day and
night modes.
[0011] Preferably, different display patterns are provided on a
housing of the alarm signal controlling device.
[0012] Preferably, a controller inside the PCB board emits yellow
light in a wavelength range of 586 nm to 592 nm, and according to
lightness of surrounding environment and different positions of the
primary driver and the secondary driver, four different reflection
regions are provided at different positions for the day and night
modes, wherein information about these four reflection regions is
listed in tables below, [0013] information about a first reflection
region at the position of the primary driver for the day mode:
TABLE-US-00001 [0013] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 60 to 85 degrees 7.5
degrees 4500-9000 primary driver
[0014] information about a second reflection region at the position
of the secondary driver for the day mode:
TABLE-US-00002 [0014] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 32.5 to 70 degrees 7.5
degrees 4500-9000 secondary driver
[0015] information about a third reflection region at the position
of the primary driver for the night mode:
TABLE-US-00003 [0015] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 60 to 85 degrees 7.5
degrees 45-90 primary driver
[0016] information about a fourth reflection region at the position
of the secondary driver for the night mode:
TABLE-US-00004 [0016] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 32.5 to 70 degrees 7.5
degrees 225-450 secondary driver
[0017] The primary driver and the secondary driver can clearly view
the light emitted by the controller from different directions, and
the circuit of the BCM of the vehicle can provide a voltage of
13.5.+-.0.1 V and a current of 46.+-.6 mA and continuously supplies
stable energy to the LED lamps through the controller, and the
light is then emitted through the mirror and the lens.
[0018] The invention further provides a method for light detection.
The alarm signal controlling device of the invention is run at a
current of 50 mA and preheated for 5 min, the light intensity is
concentrated on an eyellipse region. A measurement is performed for
a measurement point A in this eyellipse region by a camera via the
brightness. To perform the measurement, the entire module is
required to be mounted in the rearview mirror. A brightness value
of the central point in the entire eyellipse region is at least
9000 cd/m.sup.2.
[0019] Brightness levels of the LED lamps of the invention can be
adjusted. The flash, the light staying for a long period and the
light staying for a short period are invisible to other vehicles,
but can be seen by the drivers through glass from outside. The
light can be used for monitoring distances between both sides or
the rear of the vehicle making a lane change and other vehicles.
The alarm signals can pass through the housing of the device in the
form of a flash, light staying for a long period and light staying
for a short period so as to alert the driver to vehicles nearby or
in blind zones. The alarm signal controlling device of the
invention is simple and easy to handle, and can improve the
security and reliability of driving.
[0020] Compared with the existing techniques, the present invention
has some beneficial effects which will be described below.
[0021] There is no interference from the device of the invention to
vehicles behind, since the device of the invention is provided
inside each inner side of each rearview mirror and light reflecting
regions have been adjusted in the design process, thereby achieving
independent focus of the light at positions of the primary driver
and the secondary driver.
[0022] Three groups of light emitting units are provided in the
device, and the light directly acts on the entire lens and is then
directly transmitted to the surface of the mirror, increasing the
light utilization efficiency.
[0023] Brightness levels of the LED lamps can be adjusted according
to lightness of surrounding environment, and the display
information of auxiliary lamps can also be identified when the
ambient is bright.
[0024] The controller emits signals in the form of a flash, light
staying for a long period and light staying for a short period.
Turn-on of turn lamps sends a message indicating that the vehicle
is about to make a lane change. The steering operation is viewed as
a standard of auxiliary lamps update. At this time, a second grade
of the auxiliary lamps is activated, and the light blinks for a
short period. After the turn lamps are turned off, the light
emitted by the controller is restored to stay for a long period and
provides an alert for the drivers when a lane change is made.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0025] Other characteristics, details and advantages of the
invention shall appear when reading the following description
provided by way of a non-limiting example, in reference to the
annexed drawings wherein:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiement of a warning
signal controlling device according to the invention;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a front view of the warning signal controlling
device;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG.
2;
[0029] FIG. 4 shows an analogy of focusing light at a driving
position; and
[0030] FIG. 5 shows an analogy of receiving light at the driving
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, a warning signal controlling
device for blind zones when vehicles making a lane change according
to the invention, disposed inside each inner side of each rearview
mirror of the vehicle, including a lens 1, a mirror 2 and a base
assembly. The lens 1 and the mirror 2 may be obtained by two-color
molding. The lens 1 may be masked by PMMA which is black and
opaque, and the mirror 2 may utilize a light guide made of PMMA
which is transparent. The base assembly consists of LED lamps 7, a
PCB board 3 and a base 4. The PCB board 3 is secured to the base 4.
LED lamp holders are provided on the PCB board 3. The LED lamps 7
are secured in the corresponding LED lamp holders. The base
assembly is secured to the lens 1 by ultrasonic welding.
[0032] Preferably, a cavity or a light guide bar is provided inside
the lens 1, and the LED lamps 7 are placed in the cavity or at a
light entrance of the light guide bar.
[0033] Preferably, a plurality of LED lamp holders are provided on
the PCB board 3, and a control circuit is disposed inside the PCB
board 3. One end of the control circuit is connected to a circuit
of the Body Controller Module (BCM) of the vehicle, and the other
end is connected to the control circuit inside the PCB board.
[0034] The number of the LED lamps may be 2 to 6 and these LED
lamps may be configured to provide different alarm signals in the
form of a flash, light staying for a short period, light staying
for a long period, etc.
[0035] Preferably, the control circuit is provided with day and
night modes.
[0036] Preferably, different display patterns are provided on a
housing of the alarm signal controlling device.
[0037] The controller inside the PCB board emits yellow light in a
wavelength range of 586 nm to 592 nm. According to lightness of
surrounding environment and different positions of the primary
driver and the secondary driver, four different reflection regions
are provided at different positions for the day and night modes.
Information about these four reflection regions is listed in tables
below. [0038] Information about a first reflection region at the
position of the primary driver for the day mode:
TABLE-US-00005 [0038] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 60 to 85 degrees 7.5
degrees 4500-9000 primary driver
[0039] Information about a second reflection region at the position
of the secondary driver for the day mode:
TABLE-US-00006 [0039] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 32.5 to 70 degrees 7.5
degrees 4500-9000 secondary driver
[0040] Information about a third reflection region at the position
of the primary driver for the night mode:
TABLE-US-00007 [0040] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 60 to 85 degrees 7.5
degrees 45-90 primary driver
[0041] Information about a fourth reflection region at the position
of the secondary driver for the night mode:
TABLE-US-00008 [0041] Luminance Angle Value (cd/m.sup.2) Object
Horizontal Vertical Minimum Direction of the 32.5 to 70 degrees 7.5
degrees 225-450 secondary driver
[0042] The primary driver and the secondary driver can clearly view
the light emitted by the controller from different directions.
[0043] The circuit of the BCM of the vehicle can provide a voltage
of 13.5.+-.0.1 V and a current of 46.+-.6 mA. The BCM continuously
supplies stable energy to the LED lamps through the controller, and
the light is then emitted through the mirror and the lens.
[0044] The invention further provides a method for light detection.
The alarm signal controlling device of the invention is run at a
current of 50 mA and preheated for 5 min, the light intensity is
concentrated on an eyellipse region. A measurement is performed for
a measurement point A in this eyellipse region by a camera via the
brightness. To perform the measurement, the entire module is
required to be mounted in the rearview mirror. A brightness value
of the central point in the entire eyellipse region is at least
9000 cd/m.sup.2.
[0045] Brightness levels of the LED lamps of the invention can be
adjusted. The flash, the light staying for a long period and the
light staying for a short period are invisible to other vehicles,
but can be seen by the drivers through glass from outside. The
light can be used for monitoring distances between both sides or
the rear of the vehicle making a lane change and other vehicles.
The alarm signals can pass through the housing of the device in the
form of a flash, light staying for a long period and light staying
for a short period so as to alert the driver to vehicles nearby or
in blind zones. The alarm signal controlling device of the
invention is simple and easy to handle, and can improve the
security and reliability of driving.
[0046] The descriptions above are just preferred embodiments of the
invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
various modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit or scope of the invention.
REFERENCE LIST
[0047] 1 Lens [0048] 2 Mirror [0049] 3 PCB board [0050] 4 Base
[0051] 5 Housing [0052] 6 Rearview mirror [0053] 7 LED lamp [0054]
8 Display pattern
* * * * *